Impregnation of Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles on Low-Cost Agro-Waste-Derived Biochar for Enhanced Removal of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds: Performance Evaluation and Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology

In the present study, a magnetic nanocomposite based on biochar (BC) derived from sugarcane bagasse, nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI), and chitosan (CS) was fabricated to investigate its efficacy for removal of two widely used pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), namely aspirin (ASA) carbamazepine (CBZ). The synthesized (BC-CS@nZVI) characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM-EDX. Response Surface Methodology–Central Composite Design (RSM-CCD) model optimization efficacies both drugs five variables, i.e., adsorbent dose (0.05–0.1 g), pH (2–10), drug concentration (20–40 ppm), time (40–80 min), temperature (40–60 °C). Under optimized conditions dose: 0.075 g, pH: 2, concentration: 30 ppm, time: 60 min, temperature: 50 °C, maximum efficiency ASA observed be 97.8%, while in case CBZ under similar with 6, found up 89.32%. isotherm models revealed that adsorption data fit well Langmuir showing monolayer adsorption. kinetics explained by pseudo-first- pseudo-second-order CBZ, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters confirmed feasibility reaction spontaneous exothermic nature. reusability water samples Ha’il region were investigated demonstrate potential practical application.